Gauntlet 1.12 - Last Week of the Season

Gauntlet - Last Week of the Season

Genre: Sports / Drama

Executive Producer: Antoine Fuqua

Writer: Matt Parker

Cast : William Fichtner, Josh Duhamel, Trevor Jackson, Eric Roberts, Saffron Burrows, Jimmy Tatro and Gaius Charles

Heading into the final game of the season, the Memphis Pharaohs are in a must-win situation. They play the late game this week, so everyone else has already played. A loss will automatically end their season, while a win will send them to the playoffs for the first time in two seasons.

Pharaohs owner sits nervously in the stadium's owners box with Memphis Mayor Sharon Matthews (Saffron Burrows) and the rest of the city council as his guests. He is desperately hoping for a playoff bid to help his chances of getting the council to vote in favor of providing funding for a new football stadium in the city.

Coach Heath (William Fichtner) gives the team an impassioned speech to charge the team up before they head out onto the field. In the opening huddle of the game, Tim Collins (Josh Duhamel) tells the offense that the playoffs look better in person than they do on TV, so let's get there. On the first play of the game, Collins hands the ball off to Jefferson Thomas (Trevor Jackson) who takes the ball all the way into the end zone for a 68 yard touchdown. The audience goes absolutely ballistic, cheering and screaming.

At halftime, the Pharaohs have a 21-6 lead over the Miami Gators. Heath tells everyone he's happy with how the first half went, but to not let it get to their heads. They are only up by a couple of scores, so the Gators are still in the game.

At the start of the second half, Thomas is about to score another touchdown when a Miami defender surprises him and knocks the ball out of his hand with his helmet. The ball is fumbled out of bounds, so Memphis will retain possession, but the crowd has gone silent and Thomas holds his hand in pain. Heath sends Thomas into the locker room to have his hand examined by the team's new doctors. He sends backup DeSean Jones (Gaius Charles) into the game for now.

With the team's star running back out of the game for now, Coach Heath's play calling gets very pass happy. The Gators defense figures this out and starts blitzing Tim Collins so that he doesn't get very much time to make his throws. Collins throws the ball just before he gets hit. The pass hits Jones on a flat route, and he avoids the defenders all the way into the end zone. Collins is on the ground though, holding his shoulder. He gets up on his own power and heads to the sideline. Heath tells the doctors to check out his shoulder. Collins doesn't want medical attention, he just wants to win the game. Heath asks if Collins can throw a football. Collins grabs a ball on the sideline and throws it, but it is a terrible throw and clearly he's in agony. Heath throws his headset to the ground, destroying it. He tells his assistants to find him a new headset. Collins heads to the locker room as well. The Pharaohs are now without their two best offensive players.

Backup quarterback Chase Kearney (Jimmy Tatro) is called into the game to replace Collins. Heath tells him not to turn the ball over. The Pharaohs lead 31-21, so if they can simply run out the clock for the last couple minutes of the game, they will win this thing. The offense successfully runs out the clock and the Pharaohs win the game, earning their first playoff berth in two years. Heath talks to the team doctors after the game, who tell him that both Thomas and Collins will miss at least the first round of the playoffs with their injuries. Collins separated his shoulder and Thomas broke two bones in his hand. Heath slumps down in the chair in his office and closes his eyes.

"I once heard someone declare Gauntlet a soap opera for men, I said it too and I'm ready to say it again. With ups and downs, over-the-top drama and off the field shenanigeans, Gauntlet keeps you entertained, no matter what.

I well casted (and acted) series first and foremost Gauntlet uses the most out of its all-star cast anchored by a great William Fichtner performance, but it's all backed up by strong work from writer Matt Parker and producer Antoine Fuqua.

I'm going to be a bit picky here, but, while I enjoyed the show, I was kind of disappointed to see the story head exactly where I thought it would be heading. A few plot devices here and there to try to make us think otherwise, but in the end, it was exactly what I imagine.

Gauntlet 1.11 - Week 12

Gauntlet - Week 11

Genre: Sports / Drama

Executive Producer: Antoine Fuqua

Writer: Matt Parker

Cast : William Fichtner, Josh Duhamel, Trevor Jackson Eric Roberts, Saffron Burrows and Kat Graham

Tim Collins (Josh Duhamel) is alone at the practice facility working out and throwing balls. He is determined to be ready for the next game no matter what. He receives a phone call from his girlfriend Memphis Mayor Sharon Matthews (Saffron Burrows). She reminds him that they had plans that evening. Collins profusely apologizes, explaining he lost track of time at the facility. Just as Collins is leaving the facility to meet up with Sharon, Jefferson Thomas (Trevor Jackson) pulls up in his car and walks toward the facility. Collins is surprised to see him heading into the training room so late. Thomas explains that he's never made the playoffs at any level of football before. Not in college, and not even in high school. He's always been a good play on a bad team, but since the playoffs are still in reach for the team, Thomas is committed to giving everything he's got to get to the playoffs. Collins pats Thomas on the back and leaves the facility.

Coach Heath (William Fichtner) can't sleep. So he watches game film of their upcoming opponent, the Philadelphia Freedom. He is worried about the game since the Freedom have the best record in the league. Something on the tape suddenly catches his eye, and he rewinds the tape several times to watch the same play. The league doctors give Tim Collins a final concussion test, which he passes this time around, much to the team's relief.

Come game day, there is a lot of nervous energy in the Pharaohs locker room. They all understand that if they lose this game their playoff chances are gone. The team takes the field in Philadelphia to boos from the rowdy Philly crowd. Before their first offensive play, Heath pulls Collins aside and tells him that the Freedom have been playing their safeties deep, so they should be able to run short slant plays frequently. Collins nods his head and heads out to the huddle. Sure enough, the plan works and Collins completes several easy slant passes, leading the team all the way down the field for a touchdown.

The plan works all game long and the Pharaohs shock the AFA world by beating the league leading Philadelphia Freedom 28-17. The players are all celebrating in the locker room, but Coach Heath yells for everyone to stop celebrating. Sure, they won the game, but they are 6-5 and have to win one more game if they want to make the playoffs, so they haven't really won anything yet. He tells everyone to get dressed so they can head to the airport.

That weekend, Coach Heath watches the league's slate of games. Collins avoids watching any of the games, and instead goes out to brunch with Sharon (Saffron Burrows). Thomas, with an entire weekend to fill, gets anxious since his instinct is to go out and party. He invites Nikki (Kat Graham) over and he has sex with her instead of doing drugs and drinking. Afterwards they talk and she tells him that she thought he didn't want to date her anymore. He tells her it was just casual. She gets mad and storms out of his house.

Pharaohs owner Leonard Palmer (Eric Roberts) throws a dinner party for the city council to try to help sway the upcoming stadium funding ballot initiative vote in his favor. Mayor Sharon Matthews arrives for the dinner, with Tim Collins as his date. Palmer is surprised to see Collins there. Palmer is careful what to say with Collins there, but is pleased that the city council enjoys getting to have dinner with the team's starting quarterback and thinks that it may work in his favor.

Call My Agent 1.8 - Backlash

Call My Agent - Backlash

Genre : Drama / Comedy / Satire
Director: Jason Reitman
Writer : Dominic Wilkins
Cast: Lesley Manville, Caroline Dhavernas, Rainn Wilson, Brian d'Arcy James, Gilles Marini, Bill Nighy and Alden Ehrenreich

Plot:

All the employees of the Jones Agency are dressed up and are patiently waiting for the biggest star they ever booked to come in their office. Bob (Rainn Wilson) shaved, Wilson (Brian d’Arcy James) combed his hair, Andrea (Caroline Dhavernas) put some makeup on and Miranda (Lesley Manville) pampered herself. They sit anxiously and they finally hear someone knocking at the door. Miranda and Andrea argue about who should go open and they both go. Miranda opens it a little and is extremely disappointed to see who’s there. It’s not their star, it’s Mark (Bill Nighy), their loan shark.

He tells them that he knows about the award they won the other night and he knows about the star they booked, so he comes for his money and he is not leaving until he gets his money back. Wilson thinks fast and he doesn’t want Mark to be there when the star arrives and he remembers Mark being a germaphobe. He spits on his hands to “clean” a spot on his jacket and he rubs them together thoroughly. He grabs the envelope with the check in it. The sum may be large but it is not enough to cover the loan. He rubs the envelope in his forehead and kisses it goodbye, before forcing it into Mark’s hand and shaking the other intensively. He turns around as the others are amused by Mark, who’s completely disgusted. Wilson cleans his hands with sanitizer in front of Mark. Mark asks for some but he tells him that they don’t have any for him. He leaves angry, but partly satisfied that they paid back a bit.

They all sit down again and wait for their star to arrive. Miranda gets too nervous and she calls her driver / lover / masseur Francois (Gilles Marini), telling him that she needs a doorman at the agency and she would kill for a back rub right now. A while later, the door opens, but it’s just Francois in a suggestive leather doorman outfit. Bob is offended and he says they are not working in a sex shop and it would be disastrous if the star arrives right now. Miranda couldn’t care less and she has her massage oil bottle in one hand and a towel in the other. Wilson tries to get it from Miranda while Bob argues with the sexy doorman to change into a more reasonable outfit. Andrea’s focus is on her cellphone, on which she reads a news and she starts to panic. She tries to get the attention of the others, but she can’t, because of all the cacophony. The door of the agency opens and everyone turns around to see Alden Ehrenreich (Alden Ehrenreich). Their jaw drops to the floor.

They profusely apologize to the young star for the situation and they hide Francois in the bathroom, Bob is pretty sure he didn’t have the time to see him. They welcome him to the Jones Agency and they give him an awkward little tour of the place, all the while Andrea is still stuck to her phone. Just as Miranda was starting to openly flirt with Alden, Andrea gets up her chair and gets on her desk. Wilson feels the urge to tell Alden that it’s his trick. She tells something that even Alden doesn’t know and it goes like this: With a salary of $2,000,000 for his latest film; Girl/Girl, rising star Alden Ehrenreich, the third-billed actor of the film, reportedly more than double what both female leads make combined. What makes it even worse, is that the agency who negotiated the contract; the Jones Agency; recently accepted an award for their outstanding work for gender equality in Hollywood. More details to come.

Bob tells Andrea that she should have asked for less, but Andrea really wanted to get paid and she thought that landing them this account would make them bigger, thanks to Alden, who can simply smile at that. They don’t know what they are going to do about it. Alden, on his end, says that he thought about it and he decided to give the difference between his salary and his co-stars to an organization fighting for equal pay in Hollywood. He already knew about that and that’s what he came over to tell them, so he was surprised to see them so happy to see him. Miranda’s phone rings and she answers it. She seems devastated by what she’s told. The organization called and because of the controversy, they want their money back, but they don’t have that money anymore. Alden feels like this is awkward and he waves them goodbye, leaving them disgruntled. Miranda opens the bathroom door and fetches Francois, she really needs that backrub.

The group is still trying to find a solution. They remember about Miranda’s inheritance, but they can’t seem to find a way to make her have it before they would be forced to close down due to lack of money. All this backlash will hurt their reputation, but Andrea and Bob are confident that their client will stick with them no matter what. To help them stay in operation a while longer Wilson volunteers to give up his salary and Bob too. Miranda, well, she doesn’t get paid and she doesn’t know it, so it’s going to stay that way. Miranda gets out of her office, revigorated by François’s mean back rub. They all stand in a circle and as they look outside, they see a swarm of reporters coming. They know the agency’s fate lies in the palm of their hand. They all breath in and out together and head for the door.

Call My Agent uses the most out if its guest stars, but don't let it distract you from the fact that the main cast of over-the-top characters are also very well developed and have a lot of chemistry.

It took a few episodes to get the engine running, but once Dominic Wilkins and Jason Reitman found their footing, the show kicked up to another gear and thankfully the cast is as game as them in their unique look at the Hollywood delirium.

"It took a few episodes for the show to find its tone, and then it took a few more episodes for it to develop its characters, but by the end of the first season, it understands exactly what it is. Call My Agent has become a clever satirical show that uses its all-star guest actors to poke fun at Hollywood conventions, and exasperate its increasingly eccentric main cast. I can't wait to see what writer Dominic Wilkins and executive producer Jason Reitman come up with for season two